§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the extra annual administrative costs of the general practitioner fundholding system in Wales. [31000]
§ Mr. HagueReimbursement to general practitioner fundholders in respect of expenses covered by management allowances since the inception of the scheme is as follows:
- 1990–91: £0.112 million
- 1991–92: £0.518 million
- 1992–93: £1.677 million
- 1993–94: £3.055 million
- 1994–95: £3.795 million
Expenditure figures for 1995–96 are not yet available, but provisional accounts suggest that the total sum amounted to some £6.7 million.
§ Mr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to ensure that the general practitioner fundholding system relates to health authority plans for local people. [31002]
§ Mr. HagueGuidance on ensuring the accountability of GP fundholding practices was issued by the Welsh Office on 27 September 1995.
The guidance emphasised the need for GP fundholders and health authorities to develop partnerships to meet agreed national and local health priorities and to set out the main action required in the performance agreements between individual practices and authorities.
I have arranged for copies of the guidance to be placed in the Library of the House.